Christmas 2008

One of the downsides of living abroad is having to set aside two weeks of holiday every year to do the Tour de Home Country. But being away makes reunions sweeter, and at the very least, we’re more appreciative of America’s pros than when we lived in the US.

After spending a relaxing week with my family buried under two feet of snow, Jon and I endured a 12-hour trip down to PBI (thanks a lot, Southwest Airlines) to join his fam, and now we’re enjoying sunshine and swimming pools. And Costco. O Costco, how I’ve missed thee.

Many of you probably know that in England, you’d celebrate Christmas with a menu that’s super similar to an American Thanksgiving menu – turkey, cranberry sauce, dressing, potatoes, etc.

Well, in sharp contrast to the English Christmas meal, my family kicks it Chinese style on December 25. (Well, Chinese except for the buche de noel I tried making this year . . . I think it came out pretty, but the genoise I whipped up was a tad rubbery).

I always look forward to Mom’s homemade sticky rice (nuomi fan) with pork, shitake mushrooms and dried prawn, not to mention five-spice duck (duties for which are now ably carried out by Jon).

You probably know that sticky rice isn’t so photogenic, so I’ve got photos only of Mom’s egg rolls and broccoli-and-prawn, but I hope that whatever you ate for the holidays, you ate it surrounded by loved ones.

Posts to come on our eating in New York, Boston, and Palm Beach. Adios for now.

Helen, I’ve made my mom’s egg rolls before, but I’ve never found deep frying at home to be worth the mess (or the hassle of disposing of the frying oil), unless I’m doing it for crowds. My mom’s recipe is veg-friendly . . . cabbage is the base, and the trick is to squeeze out all the liquid before you roll the wrappers. [Sort of like how the trick to good potato latkes is to squeeze out the water, I guess.]